Ex-MP accused of vote-buying for Unity candidate

Take note – story published 8 years ago

The third vote-buying case for "Vienotība" (Unity) candidate Dzintars Zaķis has gone to court, reports Latvian Radio. An ex-MP is among those accused for buying votes in the Vidzeme district and transporting voters to Latgale. The case is being handled by Madona district court and has seen two judges stand down from the case as they know the defendant, so it is likely to be sent to another court.

Latvian Radio discovered that four people have been accused of buying votes and organizing vote buying: Dolārs Kleins, Artūrs Kleins, Igors Aleksandrovs and Guntars Veldre. 

The name of the latter had been said last fall as well - that's when the vote buying scandal started to escalate. Juris Vidiņš ("Vienotība") first blew the whistle on the suspected vote-buying in his district immediately after the elections and named Guntars Veldre among the organizers. Incidentally, Vidiņš came close to getting suspended from the party.

Igors Aleksandrovs confirmed to Latvian Radio that he is among the defendants in the case and that he had been questioned by the Security Police. Aleksandrovs was an MP in the 8th and 9th Saeima as well as a candidate in the 10th and 11th.

The case was sent to Madona court by the Vidzene district prosecutor in late June. The prosecutor had stated that altogether four persons have been accused of deliberate hindering of a person’s right to freely elect deputies to parliament (i.e., vote buying). 

Two vote buying cases related to Unity candidate Dzintars Zaķis were sent to court prior to this one.

Altogether seven proceedings have been started about alleged vote buying in the 12th Saeima elections

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